We just don't call them "enemies"

John Boehner has been making much rhetorical hay on the campaign trail out of President Obama's urging Hispanic voters to punish their political "enemies" and support their "friends." (Boehner professed to be shocked that "today we have a president who uses the word 'enemy' for fellow citizens." Gee, didn't some American president use that term once before about fellow citizens — and follow it up by having their offices burglarized, their phones tapped, and their IRS returns audited? Well, that's so yesterday, I suppose.)

It's clear that Obama spoke carelessly; he meant to say "opponents." The Republicans, however, have made it clear that whatever they call the guys who are less than 100% with them, those guys are enemies: a story in the Washington Post today cites top GOP leaders relishing the opportunity they may soon have to punish corporations such as Wal-Mart that strayed from the fold by deigning to  work with the Democratic administration on legislation such as health-care reform and an increase in the minimum wage. (Boehner, for one, sent a letter to the pharmaceutical industry association chastising them for "cutting a deal with a bully.")

Well, I suppose that will be a "new tone in Washington" in one way.

By the way, being a committed crowdophobe I declined to follow the more intrepid member of my household to Jon Stewart's rally on the Mall on Sunday, which was just as well as I saw and heard more (i.e., anything) watching a few snatches at home than those who were there in person. Pictures of the many signs on display at the rally have been posted around the Net, and while a lot I admit struck me as too clever by half (or too self-consciously absurdist), there were a few absolute zingers. My favorite making a real point was the one that read:

NO ONE LIKES 

PAYING TAXES

What makes 

you so special?

And there were two riffs off Christine O'Donnell that deserve at least an honorable mention:

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL 

TURNED ME INTO A NEWT

and:

I MASTURBATE

AND I VOTE